


Day... Meh, who cares?

by SteampunkWilson



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love and Affection, Dehydration, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Louie is literally dying, Starvation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-13 05:22:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16886406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteampunkWilson/pseuds/SteampunkWilson
Summary: Day 12The worst bit was the loneliness. It was beginning to creep through his nightmares, the ones that made him wake up screaming in the middle of the night. He'd cry out for his brothers, his uncle, heck, even his mother, whom he'd never met. Then he'd remember, and curl up again, hugging his knees. sobbing quietly. That had literally happened five minutes ago and Louie was too scared to go back to sleep. He didn't want to have another nightmare. He was tired sure, had no energy, malnourished, he was literally surviving from the snails that kept climbing up the walls. Gross....Louie is kidnapped by an unknown foe and leaves his family in turmoil.  Twenty days to find him, twenty to recover from what they find. Will they all make it through.Two shot.





	1. Days 1-20

Day 0

The window was still slightly ajar. Huey was on his knees, staring aghast out of it. The shadowy figure that had snatched Louie was gone, vanished without a trace, left far too fast to be pursued.  
And they had taken Louie with them.  
Dewy was shaking in his bunk.  
"Huey?" He whispered. "Did, did that really just happen, like, wasn't it a dream or...  
Huey didn't answer. It had all happened so fast he was having a hard time registering it in his memory. Did, did it happen? Was Louie... gone?

Day 1

He had been hammering against the door for hours, and now his fists ached. Louie was nursing his sore hands, ready to try again, even though he knew it was pointless. The door was too thick for him to break and there was no one who cared that would hear him. He'd been in here for a day or so, no, he couldn't lose track of the days. He wasn't going to go mad. He'd be rescued, he was sure of it. Scrooge was the greatest adventurer in the world. He'd be able to track him down... right?  
Louie sighed and sat cross legged in the tiny corner of the cupboard. It was neatly hidden behind a secret door in the wall, for some reason. Louie wasn't entirely sure where he was, just that it wasn't that far from the manor. That meant he would be found sooner.  
He just had to wait them out. Right?

Day 5

Scrooge was back from his relentless hammering away at this investigation. He strode angrily past the TV room, muttering under his breath  
"Still no clues?" Webby asked nervously. Scrooge ignored her and continued up to his office. She sighed and sat down next to Huey on the sofa. The three of them had been waiting for a revelation for days, but still nothing and no Louie. Dewy was getting more and more distressed, Webby was getting more emotional, Huey felt himself getting increasingly stressed. Someone had to be behind all this. But who?  
There was an empty spot on the sofa and Huey didn't like it. He liked everyone to stay as they were and in those places too. He didn't like it when someone was missing, even when he knew where they were. But now...  
Donald stuck his head around the door. Only Huey saw this, saw the saddened look his uncle had on his face. It was the same look he got when asked about Della. Was Louie going to end up like her... missing, forever departed...  
No, Huey refused to accept that. Louie would be found. It would just take time.

Day 12

The worst bit was the loneliness. It was beginning to creep through his nightmares, the ones that made him wake up screaming in the middle of the night. He'd cry out for his brothers, his uncle, heck, even his mother, whom he'd never met. Then he'd remember, and curl up again, hugging his knees. sobbing quietly. That had literally happened five minutes ago and Louie was too scared to go back to sleep. He didn't want to have another nightmare. He was tired sure, had no energy, malnourished, he was literally surviving from the snails that kept climbing up the walls. Gross.  
Louie whimpered a little, and rested his aching head in his knees. The snails weren't moist enough and he was beginning to die from the lack of water. What was their plan to do with him anyway? Ransome? Revenge? Or did they just want to leave him there until he died.  
Louie hoped it was the latter. Because if it was ransome, then that just confirmed his suspicions that he'd had for years, and the whole time he had been trapped in here.  
They truly didn't care.

Day 14

The worse part was the news. Every day they mentioned it, as if they were trying to keep the stry fresh, but there was no way that was going to work. The whole town had already lost interest.  
"It's been two weeks since Llewellyn Duck, great nephew of famed Scrooge McDuck mysteriously vanished without a trace and-"  
"He didn't vanish, he was KIDNAPPED!" Webby yelled suddenly, making Huey jump. He had been on edge ever since he woke up too late to save his little brother from literally being plucked from his bed and...  
Huey didn't want to think of that.  
"Turn it off." Dewy muttered through his head being in his hands. "Please Huey!"  
Huey grabbed the remote and clicked the off button. It didn't work.  
"There are still no leads on the case, the Beagle Boys haven't claimed responsibility and there are fears for the boy's life as-"  
Huey hurled the useless remote at the off button on the TV. It worked and Roxanne Fetherly faded to black.  
Dewy moaned in his hands.  
"No leads." He muttered. "No leads, no clues, no Louie..."  
"We don't know that." Webby said comfortingly, wrapping an arm around the blue triplet. "Scrooge has been cooped up in his office for days, he's bound to have figured something out by now!"  
Huey knew Webby was lying, though she didn't herself. He had heard his two uncles talking, no, not talking, yelling at each other. Scrooge had admitted to Donald's face that he didn't have a clue who had taken Louie, or where, or why.  
But Dewy didn't need to know that.

Day 18

Louie heard voices, actual voices, not the crazy haullucinations he had been expecting from so long of solitary confinement. They came from outside his door, actual people! This proved there hadn't been an apocalypse where everyone died, at least.  
He couldn't hear what they were saying, just muffled sounds, but they were actual voices! Louie tried to yell, to scream for help, but it just came out as a strangled moan. The voices stopped.  
"You hear that?"  
"No. So as I was saying-"  
Louie sighed. His head hurt, really hurt. If he didn't get out of here soon, he was going to die, he knew it.  
Would they miss him? Did they miss him now. Sure, he'd discovered his place in the team, the sharp one, but they had been getting along fine before that. His family would be fine without him.  
Hmm, that was strange. Somehow, as the end approached, Louie was ready to die.  
He curled up and waited for the end.

Day 18

Huey heard their voices again, arguing. It was worse this time, echoing throughout the whole mansion. Webby had vanished into the darkness of the garden. Dewy had a pillow over his face, but Huey wasn't entirely convinced that he was asleep. No one could really sleep through this, not even Launchpad.  
Dewy gave a quiet whimper from under the pillow. Huey stiffened and slid down the bunk beds to his brother's bed and pulled the pillow away.  
Dewy was half asleep and crying softly. His shaking had reached forwards and gripped Huey's shirt.  
"H, Huey?" He murmured.  
"Shhh." Huey tried to lull his little brother back to sleep. "It's OK."  
"Please make Louie come back."  
Huey froze and Dewy dropped back to sleep, but his words were still milling around in Huey's skull, mixing with his every thought.  
Dewy sounded so pitiful. He'd never sounded that pathetic, that distressed before in his life.  
He shouldn't be feeling this way.  
"AND YOU NEVER BOTHERED BEFORE, DID YOU-" Huey winced at the sound of Donald's yelling. Dewy whimpered.  
With that, the eldest triplet slid all the way to the floor and ran out of the room. He ran all the way to Scrooge's office. The yells were louder here.  
Huey took a deep breath and shoved the doors open.  
"If you DARE compare this to Della, I'll-"  
"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!" Huey yelled, clenching his fists tightly. The pair jumped and paused mid yell.  
"Uncle Donald, I know you're angry and Uncle Scrooge, I know you're frustrated, but none of this is going to help up find Louie! You're just upsetting Dewy and I need it to stop!"  
He looked up at his uncle's stricken faces staring down at him.  
"Please just stop." He whispered, his face crumpling into tears.  
Donald was the first to unfreeze. Slowly, he came forwards and wrapped his arms around his sobbing nephew.  
"I'm sorry Huey." He said quietly, hugging him tightly. "We forgot what was important, we... you're right. This isn't the right thing to do."  
Huey sniffed and wiped his eyes a little,  
"I know we're all worried, I just... there are more productive methods of helping the situation."  
Scrooge shot him a small smile. "Curse me kilts, the boy's right, I-" A phone rang, cutting him off. With quick glances towards the other two, he scooped it up to answer.  
"Hello, this is McDuck. Gyro, is that you, what... You, you've found a lead. Fenton said the Gizmosuit sensed... Both of you are getting a raise!" Scrooge slammed the phone down, a smile cracking across his face.  
"Uncle Scrooge?" Huey asked uncertainly.  
"A lead!" Scrooge cried, grabbing Donald and hugging him tightly. "Huey, grab Dewy and Webbigail, we're going to save your brother!"

Day 19

Louie mentally crossed off another day. Why oh why couldn't he just DIE already! He was sick of this place, all he wanted was to get out, one way or another. Another snail crawled across the wall, lazily. Just like Louie on a Saturday morning. If he ever got out of here, he would never be lazy again!  
Of course, there was no chance of either of those things happening.

Day 19

Huey crossed off another day on the scrap of paper he was keeping in his pocket. They were sat in the limo that Launchpad was driving ven more recklessly than usual. There was a tense silence in the air between them as the limo sped closer and closer to the place that may or may not be Louie's destination. As the distance closed, Huey really began to consider if there was really any chance that Louie would be rescued.

Day 19

There was noise coming from outside the cupboard. Louie moaned and clutched his head. Couldn't he just die in peace?  
"Shut up." He moaned. "Shut UP!"  
It sounded like fighting, yelling too. Louie frowned and allowed himself to concentrate as long as he could. An animalistic war cry, could that be... Webby? And harmonious singing, Dewy too? Yelling in Scottish, unintelligible gibberish, Scrooge and Donald? They, they'd found him! They'd really found him! They would come get him any second, they-  
But then he remembered. The cupboard just looked like the wall. And he was incapable of making noise. How would they find him?  
Louie began to cry with whatever little moisture was left in his body. He was truly done for. He could hear footsteps getting closer and closer. Then a shout.  
"Louie? Are you here?" It was Huey, and he sounded concerned. Louie tried to call out to him, but couldn't make a sound. His throat was completely dry. All he could do was make raspy strangled noises.  
"Huey, have you found anything?" Two steps of footsteps, Dewy and Webby. "Scrooge and Donald can't hold them off forever!"  
"I don't understand!" Huey sounded like he was in tears. "The guards clearly said he was down here! But there's nothing but an empty room!"  
Louie could imagine Dewy comforting his brother, the three of them blindly wondering where he was and never knowing that he was mere feet away, the four of them separated by just a few inches of wood.  
"Hmmm." He heard Webby, heard her footsteps pass so close to his head, if only he could just call out to her... "Empty room... or gateway for secret passeges! Quickly, look, tap on the walls, the floor, shift books, anything!"  
"Huh, that's so genius Huey should have thought of it!" Louie managed a smile as he imagined Huey shooting Dewy an annoyed look. Then his smile died. He could see little black dots forming at the edge of his vision. He was going to pass out and this time, he was sure he wouldn't wake up.  
"Guys..." Louie murmuered, now more desperate for his siblings to find him than ever. "Help me..." Dewy was still talking, they couldn't hear him. Louie let out a moan and started softly started banging his head against the wall. Why couldn't they just LOOK here for him already!  
"Guys, do you hear that? Quiet!" Louie stiffened, but then realised. Even if he couldn't talk, he could still make noise!  
Louie softly banged his head agai, and again. He felt his consciousness and energy draining away with every movement, but didn't stop.  
"Over there! Where the banging is!" Louie felt a rush of hope as they began to scrabble at the wood next to his head.  
"Find the switch to open it!" Webby commanded. Louie felt himself sliding into unconsciousness, no, not yet, wait just a few more seconds...  
"GOT IT!" Dewy yelled, and the wood slid aside, letting Louie fall into the light.

Day 19

It all seemed to happen in slow motion, the wall sliding aside and the limp form of Louie tumbling out onto the floor. Dewy gasped, Webby gave a little delighted squeal. Huey just stared. Louie seemed so thin and pale in his hoodie, and he was barely moving, barely breathing. His eyes rolled upwards to meet Huey's, but they were barely focused.  
"Louie?" Huey said, concerned, dropping to his brother's side and grabbing his hand to check his pulse. "Can you hear me? Are you alright?"  
Louie let out a low moan, and gestured limply to his face, no, his mouth.  
"Wa...her." He wheezed.  
"Water..." Huey murmuered. "Water! Quick, Dewy, Webby, do you have any?"  
But it seemed all too late, as Louie's hand went limp and his eyes closed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sucks, in my opinion, too much action crammed and not enough dialogue, but hey, at least it's actually here! I was on the verge of just making this a oneshot, but decided to go through with my original plans

Day 20

Louie was still asleep. Huey knew he shouldn't be worried, but he was. Sure, he responded to food and water, which they had to give him in small doses so he could readjust, but Louie was still technically unconscious. It had only been twenty four hours, and the doctor they had called had said he would take a lot of time to recover, but still, Huey gnawed nervously at his fingernail while watching his little brother sleep.  
"Huey?" Huey jumped slightly and turned to see Dewy in the doorway.  
"Erm, yes?" The older triplet said nervously, stepping away from Louie's bedside.  
"Uh, Beakly made dinner, Donald says he wants you down." Dewy's eyes darted awkwardly to their sleeping brother. "So, if you could-"  
"Tell him I'll be down in a sec." Huey said briskly, his eyes darting to Louie's pale, distressed face. Dewy nodded, seeming glad for an excuse to leave. Huey sighed and sat back down next to Louie. He felt his forehead. It was a little more warm than normal. Huey quickly grabbed the cup of water that was always filled by Louie's bedside, and gently propped his brother up so he could drink.  
This time, it was different. Louie normally licked his beak a little, then dropped back into unconsciousness, but this time, as Huey poured a little of the liquid down his throat, his body was suddenly shook by a spasm of coughing and he choked, spitting the water back onto the bed.  
"Louie!" Huey exclaimed. His little brother gasped and massaged his throat, and then shrank back towards the bed's headboard, as if Huey was his captor.  
His eyes were wide open.

Day 20

Huey looked at Louie with wide and panicked eyes. He gently reached out and touched Louie's arm. Louie attempted to shrink away from the sudden contact, it had been so long, he couldn't even remember how he got here. The last thing he remembered he was back in that cupboard, and they were searching for him, his siblings, they, they found him!  
He was safe.  
He was safe, but how come he didn't feel that way?  
"Louie?" Louie remembered that Huey was still watching him with a worried expression. "Are you OK, I... do you need-"  
"I'm fine!" Louie snapped, a little harshly. "I erm... a little hungry?"  
"Here." Huey said quickly, snatching a pack of wafer biscuits from the bedside table. "Take small bites, take it slow."  
Louie nodded and slowly broke up the biscuits into little squares, pressing them slowly into his mouth. He swallowed them down with water until he had eaten about five.  
"Be careful. Don't eat any more for a bit, or you might be sick or choke."  
Louie nodded and finished the water. It tasted fresh, clean, welcoming, unlike that snail slime he had lived off for the three or so weeks. He wiped his beak with a dry tongue.  
"Got any more I... haven't drunk in a while."  
Huey nodded. He seemed on edge, more so than usual.  
"Down in the kitchen. We also have pep, if you feel up to it. And more food, if you can-"  
"Yeesh Huey, what are you, a doctor? I can feed myself, OK!"  
"OK." Huey looked a little downcast. "Can you walk or shall I fetch-"  
"I can walk." Louie slowly swung his legs off the bed and stood in one swift movement.  
"Take it slow, you-" Louie shot him a glare, shutting him up. He leant heavily against the bedpost, and the room span around him for a few seconds, but he managed to stand. With a glance back to Huey, the pair began a slow walk to the kitchen. Huey seemed to be able to tell when Louie needed a break, because he always faked having to tie his shoes (even though he didn't wear any) or get a text from someone (even though his phone wasn't charged) or stop to admire a painting that that had been there for the last fifty years.  
"I just think the romans should have really-"  
"Huey, shut up!" Louie groaned, rubbing his forehead. Huey looked concerned.  
"Are you OK?"' He asked.  
"Yeah, just... uh, headache." The pair continued their way to the kitchen. They passed the dining room on the way, and Huey paused momentarily so he could listen and Louie could catch his breath.  
"Gyro's not sure who it was who took him, but he knows who they work for, apparently the company has dealt with blackmail threats from them before." Scrooge was saying, his eyes skimming the paper in front of him, but everyone could tell he wasn't reading it.  
"You don't even know what enemies your company has?!"  
"It's a long list. Anyway, I plan to head down there and have a little 'chat' with this gentleman."  
"Can we come too?" Webby asked, looking excited. Dewy, who was picking at his food, looked up and nodded in agreement.  
"I'm afraid not, I don't want to put you in harm's way in case things go wrong. Donald will accompany me."  
Donald smiled, then realised what Scrooge meant and scowled.  
"But that leaves us in the mansion, unprotected!" Webby argued. "The safest place is with you, after all."  
"Beakly, Launchpad, the guard dogs I'm ordering tonight and the magical defences I put up will be here to protect you. I would like to see any kidnapper try to mess with your Granny!"  
"Magical defences?" Louie muttered, frowning slightly. Scrooge hated magic, but he seemed to be going all out with this protection thing.  
"Kitchen?" Huey asked, ignoring Louie's remark. Louie nodded and the pair continued on their way.

Day 23

Huey was glad to see that Louie was recovering slightly, but now there other worries on his mind.  
Scrooge and Donald had left to 'speak' with Louie's captor two days ago and still hadn't returned. Normally, this wouldn't be a huge concern, usually their adventures could take days, but Donald had been unwilling to leave Louie for long, and Scrooge had promised they would be back in under twenty four hours There was a board meeting tomorrow that he would rather not miss.  
Nevertheless, Beakly remained firm. No, they could not leave the mansion in an attempt to rescue their uncles, nor could they contact the board. She wasn't entirely sure who they could trust in this town anymore.  
So the triplets and Webby had decided to curl up on the sofa with popcorn, nachos, pep and a Disney movie. No, several Disney movies.  
"Urgh..." Dewy let out a groan as he slid off the sofa onto the floor. "I'll never eat food AGAIN!"  
"Unwise." Huey said quickly, his nerd knowledge kicking in. "If you don't eat then you'll start to get ill really quickly and then you'll-"  
"WHAT ARE WE WATCHING NEXT?!" Webby said very loudly, trying to cover up for how obnoxious Huey was being.  
Louie shot him a death glare, but there was hurt behind his eyes. Huey gasped at his mistake and curled into himself on the sofa, staring at his feet. Dewy rolled across the floor and sat up by the rack of movies they had.  
"OK, we have William the Engine and-"  
"No!" Everyone chorused.  
"OK then, not that, ooh, how about Sports Hill High? I really like that one!"  
Webby looked excited, but Huey and Louie shook their heads in unision.  
"Sports are boring." Louie said quietly, staring out of the window.  
"Yeah, and the acting in that movie is TERRIBLE!" Huey commented, with sneaky glances towards their younger brother.  
Dewy gave a sigh and replaced the disk. "Ooh, how about, Stolen, documentary on-"  
"Absolutely not!" Huey squeaked. Dewy frowned.  
"But you always said that was your favourite documentary!"  
"I know, but..." Huey nodded his head in Louie's direction. Louie rolled his eyes.  
"Oh for the love of- we get it Huey! I was kidnapped! I hardly ate! I almost died! It happen, we've acknowleged this. Can we move along?"  
"Bu you-" Huey played awkwardly with the hem of his shirt. Louie sighed angrily.  
"The only person still hooked up on this is you, Hubert!" He snapped, and sprang off the sofa, leaving the room.

Day 23

Louie managed to keep up his angry demeanour until he was out of the room, then stopped and leant against the wall, breathing hard. Huey wasn't the only one still hooked up on the incident. Louie hadn't managed to forget. He still dreamt about the tiny cramped cupboard where he had been convinced he would die. Still remembered his slightly suicidal thoughts. Somehow, he still felt a little hungry, no not hungry as such. Empty.  
Louie tuned into the conversation that was going on in the room he had just left.  
"Should I..." Webby trailed off and stopped talking. Louie then heard what he thought was a strangled sob.  
"This is my fault!" Huey declared, sniffing a little. "He's right, I can't forget about all this! We've been through worse a before as a family, I just don't-"  
"It's OK." Dewy said softly. "It's not your fault this happened."  
"Yeah, and you said 'as a family'." Webby joined in the comforting too. "This was Louie on his own, we couldn't help him and it's going to take more than a few days for him to recover. For all of us."  
They were comforting Huey like he was the one going through a time, like HE was the one who had been kidnapped, starved, mentally tortured... Sure, Louie knew Huey would have gladly switched places to protect his brother, but he hadn't. This was Louie's pain!  
The green triplet sighed and turned away from the cute family scene, retreating up to the highest point in the mansion, the attic. One would assume such a place would just give him flashbacks from the past few weeks, but the attic was actually quite spacious and well lit. There was also a distinct lack of snails.  
Louie settled on a small nest of blankets that he had made for himself months ago, as this was his favourite place to come when he wanted to be alone. He reached into a nearby box for some none perishable biscuits and an old photo album he liked to look over when he needed to...'  
Be distracted.

Louie opened the album and instantly felt a lump in his throat. There they were, his mother, uncle, other uncle. All three of them were missing and somehow, he felt it was his fault. Sure, he wasn't even born when Della had disappeared, but Scrooge and Donald? They had gone after his captor for one reason and one reason only, revenge. If only he'd managed to escape on his own, or even better, not been kidnapped at all, then they wouldn't be in the mess that-  
No. Louie sighed and shut the album, breathing hard. They were going to be fine.  
He just wasn't sure he could say the same about himself. He still hadn't gained back all the weight he'd lost, the nightmares were slowing, but hadn't stopped and...  
He hated to admit it, but he was just as paranoid as Huey was. Every time a floarboad creaked randomly behind him, he'd turn around in a flash, his fists raised in a defensive position, or when someone accidentally left the window open at night, he would wait until his brothers were asleep, and then close it and lock it, and set a little mousetrap out. Or when he was in a small room on his own, even if it was the toilet, he always left the door slightly open so he knew there was a way out. Or when...  
When his brother senselessly mentioned kidnapping,

Day 27

Huey wandered the halls of the mansion late at night, unable to sleep. Having gotten up to check on his brothers, and sprung his foot on a mousetrap that someone had probably misplaced, he had discovered that he couldn't sleep. So he was up again, wandering from the kitchen, to the front door, to Scrooge's study (causing another flicker of panic in his gut) to the kitchen again, and back up to the triplet's bedroom, and then back down the stairs. It was a methodical pattern, but it wasn't making any sense. His movements were random, his feet were taking him places that he didn't necessary want to go, and Huey wasn't known for being random. He liked to have every movement, everything he did, carefully pre-planned. Of course, adventure was an exception, as that was just an unpredictable mess, but one he enjoyed, a family activity. Adventure belonged in ancient temples and remote corners of jungles though. Not at home. Not here. Not now. With a small sigh, Huey forced him to sit down at the foot of the stairs and rest for a moment, try to gather his thoughts, lay out the facts. Louie had been kidnapped, starved, and stuck in solitary confinement for weeks. He had also been rescued. But he still wasn't safe from his own personal torment. Not from his own nightmares and mind anyhow. Huey could definitely tell, he had known his brothers their whole lives and could always tell the instant something was wrong. A reckless pounding at the door shook him violently out of his thoughts. Huey flinched, and looked around quickly. No one else was here. It was up to him to open the door. But what if it was Louie's captor, what if it was the Beagle Boys, or any other enemy or... "Hello? Anyone! Open this door!" A thick Scottish accent was yelling. Scrooge, it had to be. But a Scottish accent was easy to impersonate, Glomgold had proved as such. And Scrooge had a key.  
"Go, go away!" Huey called uncertainly. "I don't know who you are but... you're not getting in here!"  
The voice paused for a moment. Then-  
"Huey? Huey, if that you?" That voice, it was barely intelligible, all quacks and squeaks. No one sounded like that, except-  
"Uncle Donald?" Huey called uncertainly.  
"Huey, open the door, we're being chased, we have to set out the magical defences, hurry!"  
Huey was too sleep deprived, paranoid and concerned to know better.  
The moment he lifted the latch and let the door swing open, three things occurred to him.  
One, the magical defences were already in place, Scrooge had made sure of that.  
Two, if there truly was something dangerous chasing them, Scrooge and Donald would have lead it away from the mansion, not towards their family.  
And three, Scrooge and Donald would be talking over each other in this situation, all panicky. But the voice was calmer than the pair would be and they took turns talking. Which could only mean one thing. An imposter was standing on the other side of the door that Huey had just opened.

Day 28

The walls were closing in, getting tighter and tighter. Louie had never really been one for claustrophobia, true, he did prefer large spaces, but small rooms didn't really make him panicky. Until now.  
Louie shrank back, as if he could make himself smaller, or even better, just fade into the shadows and get away from this dungeon that threatened to crush him. He was done for, there was no escape, he was going to die...  
"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Louie sat bolt upright, hitting his head on the bunk above.  
"Wasgoinon?" Dewy mumbled sleepily. "Louie, s'that you?"  
"No." Louie replied, as Dewy rolled out of bed and crashlanded on the floor. Louie swung his legs out of bed. "At least, I don't think."  
Dewy was about to reply, when a knock on the door shocked the pair of them.  
"Stay back fiend!" Dewy cried, brandishing a pen he'd found on the floor.  
"Guys, it's just me." Came Webby's voice. She opened the door and came in, looking determined and on edge. "Did you hear that scream? It sounded like it was coming from downstairs!"  
"Wait." Dewy scrambled up the ladder to the top bunk. His eyes went wide with a sudden fear. "Huey's gone!"

The three shared wide eyed glances before Louie darted out of the door. "This way!" He called. "We've got to find him!"  
As they ran, Louie thought about just abandoning them and hiding in the attic. Let them find Huey, he was still recovering from his traumatic experience, he didn't need to witness someone else's. But Huey hadn't left him behind, even though it was dangerous and he probably wasn't worth the bother.  
There was no way Louie was leaving him behind after that.  
The three of them reached the bottom of the stairs to see the door hanging wide open, like an invitation to a bad party.  
"Huey?" Dewy called uncertainly. "HUEY!"  
No answer. Huey was gone.

"Where would he have gone at midnight?!" Webby exclaimed.  
"Not where he's gone." Louie said in an uncertain voice. "Who would have taken him? I'll tell you who. The same ******** who took me!" He scowled. "That's it! They're not messing with this family any longer!"

Day 28

Huey was dragged, still conscious, into an unmarked car. He wandered if this was the same route Louie had taken. Now he was probably going back to the same place! He wanted to cry, how could he have been so stupid?!  
The journey was taken in silence, Huey with his face pressed into the floor so he couldn't see where they were going. His beak was slowly being crushed by the weight of his head, but what hurt worse was knowing what a fool he'd been to get taken like this! Everyone was still recovering from Louie's disappearance! They couldn't handle his!  
Surprisingly, when they got out of the car, they were not in the same place as they had rescued Louie from. Though, thinking about it, that would be a rather dumb idea on his captor's part, seeing as Huey knew how to escape.  
"Your whole stining family has caused us enough trouble!" His captor snarled in his ear. "Thankfully, this'll all be over soon!"  
"Over soon?" Huey gasped. "What do you mean-"  
"Shut up!" His captor snapped, and opened a door in front of them. He shoved Huey in. "Sit tight, red one!"  
The door slammed behind him. Huey was about to curl up and have a good cry when he heard a voice call out to him.  
"Huey? Is that you?"  
Huey stiffened. "Uncle Donald? Uncle Scrooge?"  
The pair of them stared back at him with wide eyes. Huey felt a tear roll down his cheek and scrambled over to the pair of them, hugging them close.  
"Curse me kilts, what are you doing here lad?!" Scrooge exclaimed. "Where are the others?"  
"Still at the mansion I... I got taken, I'm sorry. Now they're going to get more worried and that's just going to effect Louie's recovery negatively and-"  
"You worry about Louie more than yourself." Scrooge remarked. "Right now we need to focus on getting out. Me and Donald have made plans, and you could be the key to the whole ordeal." Donald put a hand on his arm  
"Are you ready?" He asked.  
Huey sighed. He knew this would be dangerous, but he needed to be back at the mansion. Needed to be there for his brothers.  
"I'm ready."

Day 30

"Found anything?" Dewy asked nervously, Webby stood behind him. Louie, who had managed to put his own personal fears aside for Huey's sake, was still rooting through the papers on Scrooge's desk. The three of had been searching for a clue to guide them to their uncle's whereabouts for days now, as it might be their only key to finding the rest of their family. Louie had voluntarily taken the majority of the shifts. He wanted to make it up to Huey over how he had been treating him. How could he have just ignored his brother's feelings like that? Huey was just worried about him and now they had switched places, Louie understood how he felt. Damn, the moment he saw Huey again, he was going to hug him and never let go. He refused to accept that he may never get the chance. Huey hadn't given up on him. In response to Dewy's question, he slammed his fist onto the table. Needless to say, Louie was annoyed. Annoyed at the situation, annoyed at the endless piles of paper on Scrooge's desk, annoyed at himself.  
"Nothing." He muttered darkly. "We're never going to find it-" He stopped and blinked in surprise as a hidden compartment in Scrooge's desk slid open, activated by his fist slamming onto the desk. "Whoa. Well, what do you know!"  
"Look at this!" Webby gasped, picking up the paper that was inside. "It's got the location that Scrooge and Donald went to! And that-"  
"Must be where Huey is!" Dewy finished. They looked up at Louie, as if he was their leader. And now the oldest triplet had been captured, Louie supposed he had become just that.  
"Come on!" He jumped down off the chair. "Let's go save Huey!" Before he gets as messed up as I am, he thought.

(AN - This chapter has already taken me WAY too long to write, so I'm gonna skip over the whole escape scene thing. If anyone desperately wants to see it, let me know, but otherwise, they saved Huey and the others and they're all back at the mansion now. Sorry for being lazy about this.)

Day 32

"I told you lad, we'll be fine!" Scrooge insisted with a sigh. "It was just one of my old enemies trying their hand at revenge! Nothing to worry about, we sure bested them!" He gave a small laugh. "Admittedly, this did stretch on for an unusual amount of time, but all's well that end's well. We survived, as usual. Now go back to your siblings!"  
Huey hadn't meant to eavesdrop on the conversation, he had been sent by Beakly to ask Scrooge what he wanted for dinner. But when he had heard Louie mention the kidnappings, which he hadn't done in days, he had stopped to hear what was being said.  
"So... no trauma or anything?" Louie asked quietly. "I mean, Huey was only there for a day or so-" Huey heard Scrooge sigh, and imagined him putting a hand on Louie's shoulder.  
"Huey is fine, and I can tell you are moving on as well. All of you kids are remarkably brave." Huey could practically see him smiling down at his nephew. "I never went through anything as tough as that when I was your age and..." There was a slight catch in the old duck's voice and Huey heard him clear his throat a little. "Well, I think you are all wee remarkable little troublemakers. Now Louie, go down to the kitchen and ask Beakly when lunch is." Huey heard footsteps coming his way from the study and darted away from the door just as it opened. Louie hurried out, not even looking in front of him, running down the corridor towards the stairs, the opposite direction of the kitchen. Huey glanced towards Scrooge's study. Louie had left the door slightly open and Huey managed to glimpse their uncle hunched over the desk, breathing hard, fists clenched around the sharp wooden edges. He looked a way Huey had never seen him before, not even when they had found out about the Spear. He looked... so venerable and broken. Day 32

Louie didn't care about the lunch. He knew that he hadn't been eating or drinking right for a while now, but since he had been rescued, Louie wasn't really hungry the way he used to be. Not for food, and not for money and power either. He wasn't satisfied, not really, he just... stopped wanting it. Being kidnapped had given him a sort of... perspective on the stuff he had used to feel was important. Now all he cared about was safety, his and his family's. Louie had lost something, and it wasn't just weight. It was something he wouldn't be able to get back.  
Reaching the bedroom, the younger triplet was relived to find that it was empty. He could have a little space to himself, finally, without the stress of trying to find Huey or the constant overbearing helicopters of his siblings constantly worrying about him. Louie flopped onto his bunk and pulled his hoodie up over his face. Just a few minutes to himself, to get himself together... The door opened and the light tread of Huey appeared. Louie groaned and rolled over to face the wall, his back to his brother. "Go away Hubert!" He moaned. "Just... leave me alone." Huey didn't. Louie could feel him there, just standing there, watching him like he was some sort of... coma patient. Like a specimen under the microscope, something that needed to be examined, the damage assessed and fixed, when Huey had gone through the same fate. He needed to take a look at himself! Not Louie, no he was fine, he... Louie realised that Huey was feeling the exact same way. He slowly rolled over to face his brother, who was sitting there, just as Louie had imagined, but he wasn't looking at his younger brother. He was staring down at his own hands, sighing slightly with every breath. Louie coughed awkwardly. "Are you, doing OK Huey?" Huey didn't respond. "Huey!" "I heard you in the office." Was all the red triplet said. Louie cringed. "Oh, heh, yeah I-" "Scrooge should be proud of you." Huey looked up with a smile. "I know I am." Louie smiled back at him, rolling off the bed so he was sitting up. "I shouldn't have pushed you away." He admitted. "You know, earlier." Huey smiled, a small smile. He was about to say something else when the door burst open to reveal the dreadful duo; Webby and Dewy. "Are you two coming for lunch or what?" They demanded in unison, hitting a harmony, and then laughing. Their two brothers groaned. "Not this again!" Huey sighed. "Fine, we'll come, if you stop talking like that!" The pair laughed. "If you say so." "Now come," "On," "While the food is," "Hot!" They high fived and laughed at the disgust of Huey and Louie. "Better than the snail dungeon." Louie said with a laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo yeah, is that cr*p or what? But thank you for all your kind words on the first chapter, I really appreciate it! :)


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